Jose Mourinho Tips England To Win World Cup

RICHARD TANNER

Jose Mourinho has tipped England to win the World Cup in Russia.

The Manchester United manager believes the fact that all of Gareth Southgate’s squad play in the Premier League – which he describes as the best League in the world – gives them a critical advantage over their rivals in Russia.

“England have a good group of young but experienced players,” said Mourinho. “All of them play in the best domestic competition in the world in the Premier League.

“All of them play in the best teams. All of them have experience of playing in the Champions League. So yes, they can do it.”

Speaking about the four favourites – Spain, France, Germany and Brazil – during a Q&A with school children arranged by his personal sponsors Jaguar, the former teacher added: “They have good squads but good squads do not always make good teams.

“Sometimes not so special squads, in theory, can make better teams. For example, Portugal in the Euros had far from the best squad but they did it.

“I do not think we will have a surprise, though, like a country that has never won. France, Spain, Portugal, England, Brazil or Argentina, it will be one of the countries that everybody knows are really strong.”

Mourinho has four players in the England squad – Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Marcus Rashford – and describes “naughty boy” Lingard as a key figure for dressing room harmony.

“He is a naughty but funny guy,” he said. “He is the funny one that doesn’t disturb the class. He is the funny one that the teacher isn’t upset with.

“He is the one that makes things work and in the right moment he is positive and he makes everyone in the class laugh and creates a good atmosphere and that is the atmosphere that we always want in our class, because I was also a school teacher and I know what it means.

“We like the funny person that doesn’t disturb and makes everyone happier. We don’t like the naughty ones who disturb everyone as they learn.”